The present invention relates to a method and composition for the straightening of hair.
Hair straightening or hair relaxing products have been commercially available for over forty years for people who want straighter more manageable hair. Most commercially available hair relaxers are composed of a strong hydroxide base that breaks the bonds in the hair. The African American consumer is the primary consumer of hydroxide hair straighteners. This type of product has enjoyed widespread success in the professional salon as well as the general consumer markets for over forty years for such consumers. However, hydroxide hair straighteners have not been successful in Caucasian and multi cultural salons. The failure of hydroxide-type hair straighteners to be successful for Caucasian and multi-cultural salons is due in part to the fact that hydroxide-type hair straighteners are too aggressive for this segment of the market. The rate at which these straighteners process on hair is too fast for Caucasian salon stylists to control.
The skill required to apply the product to hair, section by section, then work the product through the hair while staying within the prescribed time limits is a task that some salon stylists are not skilled enough to execute properly. Because there are few Caucasian patrons requiring hair straightening, Caucasian stylists do not have enough patrons to become skilled at applying the existing product within the time limits. Thus there are increased instances in which the skin is sensitized when hydroxide-type hair relaxers are used in Caucasian and multi cultural salons.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,244 discloses a guanidine hydroxide composition used to straighten hair. U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,244 discloses a guanidine salt such as guanidine carbonate that is mixed with an alkaline earth metal hydroxide such as calcium hydroxide to form guanidine hydroxide for use in straightening hair. Guanidine hydroxide is not stable for long periods of time. Therefore, the guanidine carbonate and calcium hydroxide must be mixed immediately before the hair relaxing treatment begins and the composition must be applied to and removed from the hair within a short period of time, i.e., before the composition becomes unstable e.g., within about four (4) hours. Although guanidine hydroxide has proven to be an effective hair straightening composition, the composition can only be in contact with the hair for a very limited amount of time or severe hair damage can result. The hair stylist applying the hair relaxing composition must work very quickly and possess a high degree of skill to successfully use most commercial hair relaxers. Furthermore, most commercial hair relaxers have a high pH and a tendency to cause skin and scalp irritation.
Commercial products based only on alkaline metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide have also been used to straighten or relax unstraight hair. There are primarily four different types of alkaline metal hydroxide hair straighteners in use: barium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide. The straightening product is usually applied quickly and can only remain in the hair for a very limited amount of time. If the product is not rinsed from hair at the appropriate time damage to the hair can occur as well as chemical burns to the scalp and areas surrounding the hair.
The present invention is a composition and method for straightening hair.
In one exemplary embodiment, a method of straightening hair comprising the steps of applying a composition to hair, the composition including an alkaline earth metal hydroxide and guanidine carbonate wherein the alkaline earth metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide, heating the composition and hair, and removing the composition from the hair. In one variation the alkaline earth metal hydroxide is included in an emulsion. In another variation the guanidine carbonate is included in an aqueous solution. In a further variation the alkaline earth metal hydroxide has a concentration of about 1.21% by weight to about 3.45% by weight, based on the total weight of the emulsion. In a yet further variation the guanidine carbonate has a concentration of about 5.68% to about 17.06% by weight, based on the total weight of the aqueous solution. In yet another variation the composition and hair are heated to a temperature between about 81 degrees Fahrenheit and about 122 degrees Fahrenheit. In a additional variation the composition and hair are heated for a time period of between five (5) minutes and sixty (60) minutes.
In an exemplary embodiment for a composition for use in straightening hair, the on composition is produced by combining a first and second ingredients. The first ingredient includes calcium hydroxide having a concentration of about 1.21% by weight to about 3.45% by weight, based on the total weight of the first ingredient. The second ingredient is guanidine carbonate having a concentration of about 5.68% by weight to about 17.06% by weight based on the total weight of the second ingredient. In one variation the first ingredient is an emulsion. In another variation the second ingredient is an aqueous solution. In a further variation heat is used to accelerate the production of the hair straightening composition. In yet another variation the first ingredient is an aqueous solution. In a yet further variation the second ingredient is an emulsion.
In a further exemplary composition for use in straightening hair, the composition comprises a first ingredient which includes calcium hydroxide having a concentration of about 1.21% by weight to about 3.45% by weight, based on the total weight of the first ingredient and a second ingredient which is guanidine carbonate having a concentration of about 5.68% by weight to about 17.06% by weight based on the total weight of the second ingredient. In one variation the first ingredient is an emulsion. In another variation the second ingredient is an aqueous solution. In a further variation the first ingredient is an aqueous solution. In yet another variation the second ingredient is an emulsion.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, a method of straightening hair comprising the steps of combining a first ingredient and a second ingredient to produce a hair straightening composition wherein the first ingredient is calcium hydroxide having a concentration of about 1.21% by weight to about 3.45% by weight, based on the total weight of the first ingredient and wherein the second ingredient is guanidine carbonate having a concentration of about 5.68% by weight to about 17.06% by weight based on the total weight of the second ingredient, applying the hair relaxing composition to hair, heating the hair relaxing composition and hair, and removing the product from the hair. In one variation the first ingredient is an emulsion. In another variation the second ingredient is an aqueous solution. In a further variation the composition and hair are heated to a temperature between about 81 degrees Fahrenheit and about 122 degrees Fahrenheit. In yet another variation the composition and hair are heated for a time period of between five (5) minutes and sixty (60) minutes.
In a further exemplary composition for use in straightening hair, the composition comprises an alkaline earth metal hydroxide about 0.25% by weight to about 5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition. In one variation the composition is an emulsion. In another variation the composition is an aqueous solution.
In a further exemplary embodiment, a method of straightening hair, the method comprises providing a composition including an alkaline earth metal hydroxide wherein the alkaline earth metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide, applying the composition to hair, heating the composition and hair and removing the composition from the hair. In a variation the alkaline earth metal hydroxide is included in an emulsion. In another variation the alkaline earth metal hydroxide is included in an aqueous solution. In a further variation the composition and hair are heated to a temperature between about 81 degrees Fahrenheit and about 122 degrees Fahrenheit. In yet another variation the composition and hair are heated for a time period of between five (5) minutes and sixty (60) minutes.